


The Battle of Detroit

by segerge



Series: TASK FORCE [25]
Category: HERO Champions
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-28
Updated: 2016-01-28
Packaged: 2018-05-16 18:37:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5836408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/segerge/pseuds/segerge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(July 23rd, 1992) TASK FORCE returns to Earth in the middle of a massive battle against Doctor Destroyer.  Can they shut his Asteroid Scoop™ down before the North American continent is devastated?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Battle of Detroit

**Author's Note:**

> **warning** : language, intense action sequences, epic collateral damage, orbital mechanics
> 
> * * *
> 
> #### Dramatis Personae:
> 
> **Task Force (Dallas-Fort Worth supergroup)**
> 
>   * Ted Jameson (AKA Ranger), CEO of ProStar, speedster and team leader
>   * Julie Dormyer (AKA Ladyhawk), Chairman of the Board of Directors for ProStar, ninja with latent powers of temporal visualization
>   * Dr. Bob Hawkins (AKA Starforce), Senior Research Scientist for ProStar, power-armor wearer/gadgeteer
>   * Rev. Kent Christiansen (AKA Spiritual Warrior), Associate Pastor of Carrolton Park Church, mage with a holy sword
>   * Frederick 'Bowser' Bastable (AKA Mr. Bassman), jazz artist and mutant sonic projector
>   * Dr. Matthew Fuseli (AKA Biomaster), former master supervillain with powers of neurokinetic manipulation, master geneticist.
> 

> 
> **other superheroes**
> 
>   * Marcy Gibson (AKA Electron), Digitak's daughter, a gadgeteer for the NYC-based Justice Squadron (CU timeline)
>   * Tiger, leader of the NYC-based Sentinels
>   * Johnny Hercules, Greek mythology-themed brick
>   * James 'Whit' Whitley (AKA Diamond), expy of the Thing in the CU timeline
>   * Meteor Man, leader of the California Patrol (expy of Green Lantern in the CU timeline)
>   * Robert Washington Kaufman (AKA Golden Avenger), America's national hero and chief field agent for PRIMUS.
>   * Smashmouth, random brick
> 

> 
> **notable Varanyi**
> 
>   * T'Nereq Ch'uuk Skolvasian, Empress-designate, commander of the Varanyi Star Galleon _Sitharados_
> 

> 
> **villains**
> 
>   * Dr. Albert Zerstoiten (AKA Doctor Destroyer), (expy of Dr. Doom in the CU timeline)
>   * Tim Colton (AKA Gigaton), radiation-energized brick/Energy projector
>   * Alejandro Medina (AKA Menton), psionic
>   * Isabella Medina (AKA Mentalla), psionic
>   * Thomas Falkirk (AKA Falchion), low-level psionic and weaponmaster
>   * Michelle Munro (AKA Fourplay), mutant elemental controller
>   * Ricky Murdoch (AKA Meteor), speedster
>   * Diana Tremaine (AKA Spectra), zero-point energy projector
>   * Sydney Potter (AKA Grond), four-armed giant brick
>   * Megaterak, giant robotic alien dinosaur
>   * Dr. Tara Lemick (AKA Lady Blue), power-armor wearer and social justice warrior
>   * Bob Johanssen (AKA Cheshire Cat), teleporter/martial artist
> 

> 
> **AUTHOR'S NOTE 1** : Telepathy is denoted by (( )), internal monologue by [[ ]], Varanyi speech by « »
> 
> * * *

**PROLOGUE** : 7/3/1992. Varanyi Star Galleon _Sitharados_ , galactic coordinates 10 North by 60 East by 10,000 Varan Reference, 31,000 light-years from Earth. 

(The _Sitharados_ has briefly dropped sublight to accomodate a photo request. In its Officer's Wardroom, we see the Galactic Core dominating the main window at a size and angle never before seen by human eyes. Bob 'Starforce' Hawkins and Julie 'Ladyhawk' Dormyer are in ceremonial Varanyi outfits, having finished a photo session. Matt 'Biomaster' Fuseli is snarking from the peanut gallery)

 **Biomaster** : "That sound you hear right now, Robert? Uncounted thousands of astronomers both professional and amateur back on Earth screaming in horror that you turned the greatest photo oppportunity in recorded history into a backdrop for your wedding invitation!"

 **Starforce** : "You would've done the same thing in our situation. Admit it."

 **Biomaster** : "Probably."

(Julie joins Bob)

 **Starforce** : "Why are you complaining, anyway?"

 **Biomaster** : "Because I'm evil?"

(Matt idly pages through the viewscreen at the photos taken by the Varanyi. He stops on one where both Bob and Julie are laughing hysterically, silhouetted by the Core)

 **Biomaster** : "Now if you had any balls, you'd use THIS one for your invites."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Matt through gritted teeth): "Don't. Encourage. Him."

 **Starforce** (in Varanyi to a technician): «May I have one print of this one, please?»

(technician nods and walks off)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Bob, you DIDN'T..."

 **Starforce** : "Relax. I only asked for one copy." (beat) "For our bedroom."

(Julie rolls her eyes)

 **T'Nereq** (from CIC): ((Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins. Are you done, yet?))

 **Starforce** : ((our wedding isn't for another three months, but yes we're done))

(three musical chimes sound. The Galactic Core begins shifting out of the view of the window as the _Sitharados_ reorients itself back to its course for Earth. Blast shields come down over the wardroom windows)

 **Starforce** (to Ladyhawk): "Can we get back to our cabin and get out of these? The Varanyi are worse at making things with collars than Humanity is."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Try wearing the female ceremonial outfit when you're over half a foot shorter than the average Varanyi female."

(they exit the wardroom and walk down the corridor for a ways, arm in arm. Somewhere aft, the engines change pitch, and a slight vibration through the deck is the only sign that the Star Galleon has jumped back to warp)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Remember when we were trapped back in 1944? The night you walked me back across RAF Woodbridge?"

 **Starforce** (smiles): "I remember we almost had a moment until you killed it."

 **Ladyhawk** (makes a face): "Do you remember what you said to me *before* I killed the moment?"

 **Starforce** : "Oh, yeah. I suggested we find somewhere in the middle of nowhere and let history pass us by instead of returning to 1986." (beat) "Why are you remembering *that*?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "We both turned 30 during this trip across the Galaxy. We aren't getting any younger, and we now have the rest of our lives together. Isn't it time somebody else took responsibility for saving the day? Let history finally pass us by for real?"

(Bob looks like he is about to say something, then catches himself and looks confused)

 **Ladyhawk** : "What's wrong?"

 **Starforce** (beat): "I almost said 'yes.'"

* * *

(7/23/1992. Guest Lounge, Varanyi Star Galleon _Sitharados_ , 2 light-years from Earth)

 **Ranger** (to Julie): "Are you *sure* you don't want to go to the command center?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "This is Bob's last chance to play _Star Trek_ before we get married. I think I'd only distract him."

 **Biomaster** : "You may actually inspire him."

 **Ladyhawk** (laughing): "Get out of here. Now."

(Ranger and Biomaster leave the guest lounge)

 **Ranger** (beat): "It's been 40 days. Have you considered my offer?"

 **Biomaster** : "I have."

 **Ranger** : "And?"

 **Biomaster** : "I'll have to insist on a complete pardon for my crimes."

 **Ranger** : "You mean, like the time in 1982 you tried to broadcast your neurokinetic manipulation across the North American continent?" /* "The Strange Secret of Matthew Fuseli" */

(beat)

 **Ranger** (continuing): "Or any number of times you attempted to kidnap Vikon to sequence his DNA?" /* "Reconnaissance in Force", "Heart of Darkness" */

(beat) 

**Ranger** (continuing): "Or attempting to kidnap a Mandaarian research team to sequence THEIR DNA during their expedition last year?" /* "Expedition to Earth" */

(beat. Biomaster is beginning to look nervous) 

**Ranger** (continuing): "Or the time that the special pirhanas in your breeding pens near Denton got sucked up into a squall line and spread across the Metroplex?" /* "Piranharecho" */

(beat)

 **Ranger** (continuing): "Or the time you not only attempted to attack the Galleria with cloned dinosaurs but then tried to sue Michael Crichton for infringement of prior art when he wrote _Jurassic Park_?" /* "Jurassic City" */

 **Biomaster** (smiles): "That was my most creative effort..."

 **Ranger** : "For what it's worth, Bob agrees with you based solely on the lawsuit." (beat) "Against all that, we have your assistance versus DEMON this past Christmas Eve and during the Day of the Destroyer in 1988." /* "O Little Town", "72 Hours"*/

 **Biomaster** : "No mention of the indirect death of Disinformer during the incident with the piranhas?"

 **Ranger** : "You did prevent a superpowered attack against Israel by double-crossing him, but I'm concerned with your problems under American law right now."

 **Biomaster** : "If you're going to be *that* petty, may I point out that my help against Doctor Destroyer was coerced from me via threats of physical and mental violence?"

 **Ranger** (stopping in front of the turbolift): "You begin to see my problem with a pardon."

(Ranger and Biomaster enter the turbolift)

 **Ranger** : «Command Center»

(turbolift starts moving)

 **Biomaster** : "Impressive."

 **Ranger** : "It's the only Varanyi I know. And I always thought I could pick up languages quickly. With Bob, it's practically a superpower." /* Not really. He had a couple of years practice with Vikon that you never noticed... */

 **Biomaster** : "Last thing I'd expect him to be capable of doing." (beat) "So if a pardon is out of the question, what were you thinking?"

 **Ranger** : "Parole."

 **Biomaster** : "With you as my parole officer?"

 **Ranger** : "Yep."

(long pause)

 **Biomaster** : "Wouldn't I be redundant? Starforce has done your tech wizardry for years..."

 **Ranger** : "Your technical skillset compliments Bob's. He's weak in the biological and medical sciences."

 **Biomaster** : "He was good enough to duplicate my neurokinetic gauntlets."

 **Ranger** : "He told me he got VERY lucky on guessing how they operated."

(pause)

 **Biomaster** : "Okay then. If you can swing it, I'll do it."

(turbolift opens to the command center. T'Nereq Skolvasian stands watch at the Captain's station. Bob is over with the Operations officer having a quiet conversation in Varanyi. He sees Ted and Matt enter, excuses himself, and joins them)

 **Starforce** : "We're within a minute of downwarping in the Asteroid Belt. I'd only be distracting to them."

 **Biomaster** : "The Asteroid Belt? Isn't that dangerous?"

 **Starforce** : "You have a better chance to be struck by lightning after winning the Lottery. Sit back, enjoy the ride, and in a couple of hours we'll make Earth orbit."

 **Ranger** (to Matt): "See what I mean? Complimentary skillsets."

 **Starforce** (to Matt): "I heard that Ted was going to make you a job offer. Well?"

 **Ranger** (to Bob): "Allow me to introduce the newest member of TASK FORCE, Dr. Matthew Fuseli."

 **Starforce** (smiles and shakes Matt's hand): "Congratulations!"

(the lights flicker, engines change pitch, and there is a subtle tremor through the deck)

 **Starforce** : "And we've just dropped sublight."

(alarm sounds. The Varanyi on the bridge seem upset and alarmed about something)

 **Starforce** : "And that's not normal."

 **Ranger** : "What's going on?"

 **Starforce** (reading over Varanyi crew's shoulder): "Proximity alert for a gravity..."

(The _Sitharados_ falls into the wormhole Bob was attempting to mention just now. The Star Galleon shakes, and explosions echo within the hull)

 **Starforce** (picking himself up off the bridge deck after the chaos subsides): "...anomaly"

(emergency lighting kicks on)

 **Biomaster** : "How do you say 'Houson, we have a problem' in Varanyi?"

 **Starforce** (in perfect Varanyi): «Houston, we have a problem»

(Bob assists the bridge crew in reviving the wounded Star Galleon, and ends up on the Helm console)

 **Starforce** (looking at Conn screens and muttering): "What the hell? That's the Great Lakes... with a projected impact point about..."

 **Ranger** : "Bob. Report."

 **Starforce** (manipulating controls, cheerfully demented): "Well guys, the good news is that we'll be back on Earth inside of 2 minutes!"

 **Ranger** : "And the bad news?"

 **Starforce** (over his shoulder and serious): "The resulting impact crater will obliterate Detroit."

* * *

(Varanyi Star Galleon _Sitharados_ , 195 miles above Denver, CO. One second later)

 **T'Nereq** : ((Primary drives! Get us out of here!))

 **Ops** : ((Primaries are offline, Captain))

 **T'Nereq** : ((Secondaries?))

 **Starforce** (at Conn): ((Not responding to commands!))

 **T'Nereq** : «Do we have ANYTHING?»

 **Starforce** : «Thrusters, but in a ship this size, that's not going to give us enough delta-vee in time...»

(Bob suddenly looks off into the distance, his face going blank. Ranger recognizes the expression as the one he uses when in Lightning Calculator mode)

 **Ops** (reading Bob's mind): «You have GOT to be kidding me!»

 **T'Nereq** (also reading Bob's mind): «Do it, Mr. Hawkins»

 **Starforce** : «Yes, sir» (in English) "Better brace yourselves, this is gonna be a bumpy ride."

(Ted and Matt do as they're told)

(Bob stares off into space for a second, then commands the thrusters to fire. The _Sitharados_ begins a yaw to starboard and kills the residual spin imparted by the transit of the wormhole)

 **Starforce** (to Ops): «Can you configure ship's forcefields to redirect an emergency dump from reactor 4 like this?»

(Ops looks at the image Bob is attempting to project)

 **Ops** : «Yes»

(Ops starts reconfiguring the primary forcefield. Bob kills the yaw, with the _Sitharados_ now presenting its port beam toward the approaching atmosphere. The _Sitharados_ ' ground track is approaching Omaha)

 **Ops** : «Done»

 **Starforce** : «Thank you» (in English and loud) "Dumping reactor core 4 in 3... 2... 1..."

(The reactor core closest to _Sitharados_ ' current center of mass goes into emergency dump mode, spewing matter-antimatter plasma violently out into space. The _Sitharados_ accelerates)

(Onboard, the star galleon is rumbling and shaking violently. Bob has the HUD reconfigured to display altitude above Earth's surface and is attempting to counterbalance residual off-axis torques with bow thrusters. The speed with which the numbers are decreasing begins to slow)

 **Starforce** (murmuring): "C'mon baby. You can do it."

(the numbers finally stop decreasing as the thrust impulse from the venting reactor core dies off. Then, slowly, they begin to increase again)

 **Starforce** (relaxing): "Oh, thank God!"

(Ted and Matt get back to their feet as Bob uses thrusters to re-orient the _Sitharados_ bow-first along her current course vector)

 **Starforce** (to T'Nereq): "I apologize for switching to English, Captain, but I lack the words in Varanyi to communicate what I need to say. I have placed the _Sitharados_ into an unstable elliptical orbit, projected apogee is 500 kilometers in approximately 46 minutes. If we don't have secondaries in 40 minutes, I recommend a ten-minute full-power thruster burn along the ship's X-axis at that time to raise perigee and stabilize the orbit."

 **T'Nereq** : "Thank you, Mr. Hawkins." (beat, then humorously) «Are you *sure* that you wish to return to your home planet?»

 **Starforce** : «My mate would hunt me down and kill me if I didn't»

* * *

(Varanyi Star Galleon _Sitharados_ , Low Earth Orbit. Forty minutes later)

(TASK FORCE is gathered in the Guest Lounge, which has been hurriedly set up to perform a mission briefing)

 **Ranger** : "I heard the engines come back on about 10 minutes ago. I assume our orbit is no longer unstable?"

 **Starforce** : "Yep."

 **Ladyhawk** : "What did you DO up there, Nerd-boy?"

 **Starforce** : "I had to dump one of the reactor cores to keep us from crashing into the Earth."

 **Biomaster** : "We're not going to have power problems, are we?"

 **Starforce** : "Varanyi Star Galleons have six reactor cores, only two of which are needed at any time for normal operations. They shouldn't run into any problems unless they need to go to battle stations for some reason."

 **Ranger** : "Okay, so we are safe for the time being. Bob, what happened to us?"

 **Starforce** : "We fell through a wormhole right after we downwarped in the Asteroid Belt. Artificially-generated, before you ask." (selects a graphic over in one corner of the viewscreen and expanding it) "One endpoint is always somewhere between Mars and Jupiter, the other is always within a 1500-mile radius of Detroit."

 **Ranger** : "Purpose?"

 **Starforce** (beat): "For lack of a better term, it's an asteroid scoop. Grab an asteroid out here, dump it in low orbit around the Earth on a trajectory that will result in an impact in or around the Detroit area."

 **Ranger** : "Who's generating it, and why?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "For an as-yet unknown reason, Doctor Destroyer wants to destroy Detroit."

 **Starforce** : "Say that 10 times very fast."

 **Ladyhawk** (glaring at Bob): "Based on radio, TV, and some phone calls, we seem to have stumbled into the second day of a battle which has already cost superhero lives and at last count about a billion dollars worth of property damage across the Detroit Metro area."

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Superheroes have died?"

 **Ladyhawk** (voice catching): "Vanguard died yesterday deflecting an asteroid the size of the Dinosaur Killer."

(shocked pause)

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Most of the property damage has been caused not by asteroids but by the robots and supervillians that Destroyer has recruited." (pulls up another window on the viewscreen) "The supervillains encountered so far are Grond, Megaterak, and some sort of ice giant which has never been encountered before."

 **Ranger** : "Where's Destroyer located?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "No one knows."

 **Ranger** : "Destroyer hasn't even been LOCATED yet?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "The superheroes which HAVE responded have been overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the attack. There's hardly anyone to spare to go to the source and stop him."

 **Starforce** : "The Varanyi were nice enough to loan me a sensor drone. There is a massive theta-boson source emanating from a small factory complex near the river roughly three miles southwest of downtown Detroit, also coincident with a combined IR and radiation source consistent with a *massive* pulson-catalyzed fusion reactor." (beat) "The standard-issue Destroyertech interdiction field around all those sources would have been a flare-lit tipoff if I hadn't found the other traces."

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Gee, I wonder where Destroyer could be?"

 **Starforce** : "Additionally, I also solved the mystery of Gigaton's attack on Purdue University back in April." /* beginning of "Yeoman's Work" */

 **Ranger** : "Bob, is that really important right now?"

 **Starforce** : "Potentially, yes. Purdue was working on ways to alter an object's momentum during wormhole transit. _Sitharados_ ' momentum *changed* during our encounter with the Asteroid Scoop. QED."

 **Ranger** (shaking his head): "I'll take your word for it. So you can use that knowledge to save Detroit?"

 **Starforce** : "Readers Digest Condensed Version, yes. If I can get my hands on his scoop generator."

 **Ranger** : "Is you new suit ready for combat?"

 **Starforce** : "We're about to find out."

* * *

(Varanyi Star Galleon _Sitharados_ , low Earth Orbit. 5 minutes later)

(TASK FORCE is suited up and walking into Main Teleport)

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Not the way I envisioned returning to Earth."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Same here, for what it's worth."

 **T'Nereq** (mentally, to Ranger): ((we are imaging your landing coordinates with the drone we loaned Mr. Hawkins. We will put you down on the western edge of the interdiction zone))

 **Ranger** : ((not the first time we've had to slog our way across one to get to Destroyer))

 **T'Nereq** : ((Also, we will be over Detroit in approximately 40 of your minutes. If you can do something about this 'Asteroid Scoop' of Doctor Destroyer's before then, we would appreciate it))

 **Ranger** : ((we'll see what we can do))

(Starforce turns to one of the teleporter technicians)

 **Starforce** (in Varanyi): «I'll need a bag, please»

 **Ranger** (to Spiritual Warrior): "I'll need you to do switchboard duties after we rematerialize."

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "You know I'll have to drop it if I need to do anything special."

 **Ranger** : "It's a risk we're going to have to take today." (turns to Starforce) "You sure you're going to be OK? We know how you handle teleporters..."

 **Starforce** : "We don't have time for a shuttlecraft or my physical weaknesses."

(tech hands Starforce a bag)

 **Starforce** (to the tech): «Thank you» (to everyone else) "Okay, I'm good. Let's do this."

(everyone stands on the teleporter pad for a moment)

 **Ranger** : "Bob, I can't speak that much Varanyi."

 **Starforce** (rolls eyes and speaks to teleporter crew in Varanyi): «Energize»

(zzzZZZZZAP!)

(TASK FORCE rematerializes behind 3 Destroids)

 **Starforce** (into bag): (HWAUGGHchk!!)

(The Destroids turn around. Starforce throws the bag at them, shorting out first Destroid and forcing its remains to take out the other two)

 **Biomaster** : "Did you just weaponize your own VOMIT? Gross."

 **Ranger** : "But effective. Let's move out, team." (to Starforce) "How far?"

 **Starforce** (pointing): "East on Jefferson. There's a back entrance gate to the source across from the bar at Jefferson and Post."

(they walk warily, almost making it to the intersection Starforce indicated)

 **Ladyhawk** (Danger Sense going off): "Ranger? We're in a killbox..."

(Mr. Bassman suddenly turns and hits Spiritual Warrior with a 20d6 Infrasonic Blast, CON-stunning him because the attack was by surprise out of combat. The mind-link between all members of TASK FORCE drops)

(Ladyhawk is already halfway into a tumbling sequence which ends with a 18d6 kick into the small of Mr. Bassman's back for 28 STUN. Bassman is CON-stunned)

 **Ladyhawk** : "I'm sorry, Bowser!"

(shifting to fire form during her landing, Fourplay shoots at Biomaster and misses)

(Biomaster crouches and a red beam shoots from his right gauntlet, hitting Fourplay with a 10d6 END Drain for -87 END. That's a 23d6 NND STUN attack after she's down to 0 END. G'night, Fourplay...)

(Starforce's forcefield has been rippling as all hell has been breaking loose)

 **Starforce** (internal monologue): [[hope energy and mental is enough...]]

(Starforce flares and vanishes in a crossfire of energy blasts from opposite roofs, courtesy of Gigaton and Spectra, who have both made their Teamwork roll. Making his CON roll, he only takes 7 STUN)

 **Ranger** : "Starforce! Forget them! Take the psionics out!"

 **Starforce** (shaking his head): "Okay, boss."

(Starforce ends up by Spiritual Warrior)

 **Starforce** : "Pastor. Get up! Where were the psionics?"

 **Spiritual Warrior** (recovering from being CON-stunned, pointing to his belt): "Grenades. Belt."

(Starforce sees two anti-psionic grenades on Spiritual Warrior's belt)

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Didn't... use them all on Varan."

 **Mr. Bassman** (recovering from being CON-stunned, shaking his head): "They're on the roof in front of us, Starforce-mon."

 **Starforce** (to Mr. Bassman, taking the grenades from Spiritual Warrior): "Thank you."

(Starforce flash-steps to the roof of the building in front of them, appearing between Menton and Mentalla. Forcefield rippling, he tosses anti-psionic grenades at each of them simultaneously, hitting both for -9 OMCV on each. After all, you can't hurt someone psionically if you can't HIT them...)

 **Mentalla** (seductively): "You wouldn't hurt a woman now, would you?"

 **Starforce** : "No."

(grabs Mentalla with 60 STR TK)

 **Starforce** (continuing): "But your brother would."

(Starforce hits Menton with Mentalla. Both go tumbling off the building. Menton catches them both with his psychokinesis for a soft landing)

(as he is doing this, Starforce flash-steps into mid-air above their building and pulverizes the roof. The front wall collapses on Menton and Mentalla, burying them in debris and knocking them both out)

 **Starforce** (to the debris pile covering Menton and Mentalla): "Try not to get too buried in the details, guys."

 **Ladyhawk** : "RANGER BEHIND YOU!"

(Ranger twists and two blades wielded by Falchion barely miss him. The punch from Meteor running by him *does* hit, but for no damage)

(with a BOOM, Ranger enters the Speed Zone, reappearing by Gigaton on his rooftop. Falchion, Meteor, Spectra, and Gigaton stagger, then fall down unconscious)

 **Ranger** : "CLEAR!"

 **Starforce** (bubbling Menton and Mentalla in the rubble of their building): "CLEAR!"

 **Ladyhawk** (picking up the two swords Falchion dropped and looking at them): "Clear!"

 **Biomaster** (looking west along Jefferson Street): "Ranger! We've got company!"

(A convoy of military-looking cars pulls up to the site of the battle. Ranger runs to the lead vehicle)

 **Ranger** : "We just got done here. Need us to take point?"

 **Driver** : "Sir, we're an Army Reserve MASH Unit from Kentucky. We just got here, and don't know where we're needed?"

 **Ranger** : "What are you doing on side roads?"

 **Driver** : "Grond has I-75 blocked off at the Ambassador Bridge exit!"

 **Biomaster** (just arriving): "A MASH unit?" (to Ranger, pointing toward the factory southeast of them) "Ranger, there are going to be lots of casualties just from storming Doctor Destroyer's base. If we can have them set up somewhere around here, we might be able to save some of them when they occur!"

 **Starforce** (flash-stepping into the air above them): "I heard that. The warehouse behind the bar at the corner of Jefferson and Post is empty and reasonably clean. I just checked."

 **Driver** : "That'll do."

 **Biomaster** : "A machine shop, right?"

 **Starforce** : "Yeah."

 **Biomaster** : "I remember seeing it just before Gigaton sprang his killbox." (to Ranger) "Go attack Destroyer. I'll stay with the MASH unit."

 **Ranger** : "You're a member of TASK FORCE..."

 **Biomaster** : "I'M A DOCTOR, Ranger!"

(the sound of a distant explosion somewhere beyond the I-75 expressway to their north punctuates Biomaster's statement)

 **Biomaster** (continuing): "And something tells me THOSE skills are going to be FAR more important than my neurokinesis in the next few hours. GO!"

(tense pause)

 **Ranger** : "Good luck, Matt."

(Ranger speeds off toward the rest of TASK FORCE, followed in the air by Starforce)

* * *

****(1475 Springwells Court, Detroit. 10: 00 AM)

(A mixed group of superheroes is beating on a massive armored door with little to show for their efforts as TASK FORCE approaches)

 **Tiger** (to Ranger): "WHERE has your team BEEN?"

 **Ranger** : "Off-planet. I'll explain later."

 **Electron** (to TASK FORCE): "It's some sort of forcefield-reinforced composite. We can't punch through it!"

 **Starforce** (looking at Mr. Bassman): "Think we can solve that problem?"

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Yah, mon. You drain its forcefield, I find its frequency."

(Starforce nods, and aims an arm at the door. Mr. Bassman inhales)

(A bright beam leaps from Starforce to the door, which starts glowing as funny sensations crawl over everyone near him and Mr. Bassman)

 **Starforce** (watching with Detect Energy): "NOW, BASSMAN!"

(if people could hear that low, they would hear Mr. Bassman change pitch. His Infrasonic Liquefaction shatters the door, sending shrapnel through the massed Destroids immediately behind the door. Doctor Destroyer watches impassively from a console and dais to the right)

 **Tiger** (to Starforce and Mr. Bassman): "Thanks, guys!"

(there is a loud BOOM as Ranger vanishes. He appears behind the initial mass of Destroids as the 8 immediately in front of the door fall to pieces)

(with Starforce and Mr. Bassman providing flanking fire from the door, Tiger strides in with Meteor Man and Vigil. He makes eye contact with Doctor Destroyer)

 **Tiger** (to Doctor Destroyer): "Give it up, Destroyer. We’ve found you now, and at long last you’re going to face Justice.”

 **Dr. Destroyer** : “Contemptible fool, do you think that in finding me, you’ve beaten me? NO man defeats Destroyer!”

(30d6 Destroyer-beam blows a hole completely through Tiger's chest. His corpse flies back through the door, narrowly missing Ladyhawk)

 **Electron** : "We've got to get Destroyer away from that control console!"

(Ladyhawk pirouettes through a cluster of Destroids with her stolen blades flashing, and two of them fall apart)

 **Ladyhawk** : "We've got to GET to the control console first!"

(Destroyer now tosses an explosive energy blast at the door. Ladyhawk's Danger Sense gives her enough warning to knock Electron out of the way as she herself dives for cover. The independent hero Smashmouth is hurled outside the base, burnt and eviscerated by debris)

 **Ranger** : "We're never going to overcome Destroyer with this many heroes!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "WHERE are we going to find reinforcements? They're either up in orbit or fighting Grond or Megaterak or that ice giant thing..."

 **Ranger** : "Then somebody's going to have to do something about Grond and Megaterak, then!"

(he hoists Smashmouth up on his shoulder)

 **Ranger** : "You want reinforcements? They're on the way."

(with a blur, he runs off with the wounded Smashmouth)

* * *

(I-75, near exit 48. Two minutes later)

(We see Grond throwing a half-destroyed tanker truck at Johnny Hercules, who catches it and staggers back before getting his feet back under him)

 **Johnny Hercules** (setting the tanker down): "Come now, green friend! Perhaps you can find a less-destructive way to pit your strength against mine?"

(Ranger brakes to a stop to take stock of the battle as Grond bellows his defiance at Johnny Hercules. The supervillain Lady Blue comes to a hover near Ranger)

 **Lady Blue** : "Where the HELL have you guys *been*?"

 **Ranger** : "Off-planet. It's a long story. Situation?"

 **Lady Blue** : "Grond's got us pinned down here! Diamond has another group of superhumans attempting to stop Megaterak downtown near the US end of the tunnel. There's a third group of supers near Hamatrack last update I had fighting Glacier."

 **Ranger** : "Listen carefully, Tara. Destroyer is in an abandoned factory off of Jefferson Avenue a mile south of here. He's got the rest of TASK FORCE and a dozen other supers pinned down. As soon as Grond is defeated, take EVERYONE here there!"

 **Lady Blue** : "Do I *have* to point out the problem with your tactical advice?"

(with a loud BOOM Ranger vanishes, reappearing ten feet to one side of where he entered the Speed Zone. -180 STUN later, Grond's eyes glaze over before he topples majestically to the pavement, cracking the slab of the bridge carrying I-75 over the exit ramps)

 **Ranger** : "You were saying?"

(beat)

 **Lady Blue** : "Jefferson Avenue, right?"

 **Ranger** : "Corner of Jefferson and Springwells. You'll see it on your sensors as you approach."

 **Lady Blue** : "Got it." (to the other supers) "ALL RIGHT, GUYS, LISTEN UP..."

(Ranger runs off toward downtown)

* * *

(1475 Springwells Court. One minute later. The heroes are still pinned down at the door)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Starforce! We need to drop the interdiction field!"

 **Starforce** : "On it."

(he looks through the door as he lays down some covering fire)

 **Starforce** (pointing): "BASSMAN! See the console right there?"

 **Mr. Bassman** : "Yah, mon!"

 **Starforce** : "Take it out! I'll cover you!"

(Starforce flash-steps into the middle of the Destroids and force-flashes them, scattering them like ninepins)

(Mr. Bassman hits the console with Infrasonic Liquefaction, and it disintegrates in a very satisfying cloud of debris and shrapnel)

 **Starforce** (flash-stepping back to the entrance): "PASTOR! You've got mobility!"

 **Mr. Bassman** : "And so do I, mon!"

(He half-moves with sonic teleport into the base. With his VPP set to 3d6 Penetratingx2 RKA, Mr. Bassman hits Doctor Destroyer for 3 BODY and 12 STUN)

 **Dr. Destroyer** (angry): "NO mortal wounds Destroyer and escapes with his life!"

(An explosive Destroyer-Beam scythes through his own Destroids, synchronized with burst of 60 STR Telekinesis. The cloud of resulting hypervelocity shrapnel knocks Mr. Bassman off his feet, mortally wounded and bleeding)

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(Spiritual Warrior teleports behind Doctor Destroyer and hits with Khereviel set for APx2. He gets 27 STUN on Destroyer, and more importantly knocks him 5 meters away from the Control Console. Destroyer misses with a Destroyer-Beam (!). Spiritual Warrior hits again for no damage, knocking him 10 meters farther away)

(Spiritual Warrior is now by Mr. Bassman, who is barely conscious)

 **Spiritual Warrior** (kneeling by him): "I'll have you at Biomaster's hospital in no time..."

 **Mr. Bassman** (whispered): "Leave me. Fight Destroyer..."

(he puts a hand on Mr. Bassman)

(zzzzZZZZAP!!)

(while that was happening, Starforce and Ladyhawk have been clearing a path through the remaining Destroids for Electron)

 **Starforce** (force-flashing another pack of Destroids): "You're pretty handy with those swords, Ninjette."

 **Ladyhawk** (spinning through another group with both blades extended): "Thank you! I don't get to show off my sword kata very often." (beat, two more Destroids fall to her blades) "Would have preferred katanas, myself."

 **Starforce** (pivoting, resting arms on Ladyhawk's shoulders as he obliterates a Destroid behind her): "You want katanas? Let me fire up my forge and hammer for you when we get home."

 **Ladyhawk** (sultry, arms underneath his, slicing a Destroid behind him in half): "Oh, I love it when you talk dirty to me, Nerd-boy."

 **Electron** : "What IS it with you two?"

 **Ladyhawk/Starforce** (pivoting so they each attack Destroids while back-to-back): "We're engaged."

(They are all now at the Asteroid Scoop's control panel)

 **Electron** (looking at the panel): "Now, Destroyer, let's see what you've done here..."

 **Dr. Destroyer** (aiming at Electron): "NO!"

(He fires a 30d6 Destroyer-Beam. Starforce flash-steps in the way, shifting his forcefield entirely to ED, and takes the full blast)

 **Ladyhawk** (screaming): "NO!!"

(The titanic flare of energy dies. Starforce is more or less unhurt [95 ED between allocatable forcefield and armor, and made a CON roll so he has 75% Energy Damage Reduction instead of 50% -- he *only* takes 1 STUN] and now has a snarl on his face)

 **Starforce** (coldly): "My turn."

(28d6 TK Offensive Strike punches Doctor Destroyer through the back wall of the control room [21m knockback > DEF+BODY of wall]. Starforce flash-steps in pursuit)

 **Ladyhawk** (hissing): "DAMMIT, Bob!"

(Starforce blurs and reappears hovering over Doctor Destroyer just as he is recovering from being CON-stunned)

 **Dr. Destroyer** (shaking his head as he tries to get up): "Wo hast du so viel Macht?" /*Where did you get that much power? */

 **Starforce** (coldly, forcebeams warming up for a pushed discharge): "Frag Satan, wenn Sie in der Hölle kommen." /* Ask Satan when you arrive in Hell */

 **Dr. Destroyer** (pointing to the Asteroid Scoop's control panel through the hole he just made in the wall): "Then let me be quick, Herr Starforce. You can kill me, or you can save Detroit. Your choice."

(tense pause, finally punctuated by the massed wave of superhumanity catching up with them)

 **Starforce** (shutting down forcebeams): "Damn you."

(Starforce flash-steps back to the Asteroid Scoop's control panel. Destroyer chuckles evilly as he gets to his feet again and prepares to resume battle)

* * *

(733 S. Post St, Detroit. Simultaneous with previous scene)

(the machinery shop at this address has been converted by Biomaster and the Army Reserve MASH unit into a field hospital, and it's already overloaded. Smashmouth comes to on an Army cot with Biomaster leaning over him)

 **Smashmouth** : "Wait, you're Biomaster!"

 **Biomaster** : "No, I'm the doctor who just put your intestines back into your body. Stop moving because I don't have time to do it again."

 **Smashmouth** : "But you're a supervillain!"

 **Biomaster** : "Not today I'm not." (turning away to next patient) "NURSE, WHERE'S THE ALCOHOL?"

 **Nurse** : "We're out again!"

 **Biomaster** (sternly) : "There's a bar next door! Break in and commandeer anything 100 proof or stronger, there are LIVES that need to be saved!"

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(Spiritual Warrior appears carrying Mr. Bassman)

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Destroyer wounded him bad. I'll stay and keep him stabilized until you can..."

 **Biomaster** : "YOU'RE needed back in Destroyer's base FIGHTING DOCTOR DESTROYER! GO, man! I'll take care of Frederick!"

(tense pause, then Spiritual Warrior nods)

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

* * *

(1475 Springwells Court. One minute later)

(Electron is attempting to work the controls on the Asteroid Scoop)

 **Electron** : "Dammit, dammit, dammit, DAMMIT!!"

 **Starforce** : "What's wrong?"

 **Electron** : "He must have locked the control console before we broke into the warehouse." (beat, looking at her 'tricorder') "He used at least a 20-digit prime number as the password."

 **Starforce** : "Well, that shouldn't be too difficult..."

 **Electron** (interrupting): "In hexadecimal."

(awkward pause)

 **Starforce** (small voice): "Damn."

 **Electron** : "NOT what I wanted to hear right now, Starforce. I'm out of time *and* ideas!"

 **Starforce** : "Well, then, where's his fusebox?"

 **Electron** : "Probably too protected..."

(she trails off and starts eyeing the fusion reactor)

 **Starforce** : "You're onto something. Spit it out."

 **Electron** (pointing to the reactor): "Pulson-catalyzed fusion, right?"

 **Starforce** : "High-pressure pulson-catalyzed fusion, knowing Destroyer."

 **Electron** : "What would happen if I sabotaged it?"

 **Starforce** (almost reflexively): "Even Destroyer would put enough safety overrides in to initiate a controlled shutdown..."

(he trails off, his jaw dropping open in shock)

 **Starforce** (grabbing Electron by her shoulders): "That's BRILLIANT!!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Excuse me, but is there enough money in the budget for a TRANSLATOR?"

 **Electron** (over her shoulder as she runs for the reactor): "If we shut the reactor down, the scoop powers down automatically!"

(Starforce flash-steps to the reactor, meeting Electron there)

* * *

(Downtown Detroit, near Joe Louis Arena. Simultaneous with previous scene)

(Megaterak roars as he knocks over one of the eastern towers of the Renaissance Center, his counterbalancing tail swipe catching Diamond and hurling him toward the Detroit River. With a flash of teleportation energy, Cheshire Cat portals Diamond to the ground next to him)

 **Diamond** (bouncing off the ground): "WHUNNF!"

 **Cheshire Cat** : "Sorry about the momentum."

 **Diamond** : "Least I'm not in Canada right now! Didn't pack my passport when I came here..."

(there is a blur of motion and Ranger appears next to them)

 **Ranger** : "Doctor Destroyer is located in an abandoned factory on the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Springwells Court, three miles southwest of here."

 **Diamond** : "Ranger, we're kinda busy..."

(BOOM!)

(As Ranger drops out of the Speed Zone, Megaterak sprays debris, shuts down, and topples over toward the river)

 **Diamond** (continuing): "...here?"

(the ground jumps under everyone's feet as the inert form of Megaterak comes to rest)

 **Ranger** : "Gather EVERYONE downtown who's been fighting Megaterak and meet me *there*!"

(Ranger runs off to the southwest)

* * *

(1475 Springwells Court. One minute later)

(Electron is examining the various fuel and electrical connections going into Destroyer's fusion reactor. Next to it, there is an exotic, translucent device with pinkish swirls crawling within it)

 **Electron** (pointing to a specific device on the reactor shell): "Is that the fuel regulator?"

 **Starforce** : "Yes. Even Destroyer has to obey the same laws of physics that I do."

 **Electron** : "So if I short that out, it'll starve the reactor for fuel."

 **Starforce** : "Pretty much. That's about the safest way you can sabotage the reactor."

 **Electron** (raising her forcetool): "Okay, then..."

 **Starforce** : "WAIT!"

(he puts a hand on Electron's shoulder and extends his forcefield around her)

 **Starforce** : "There. We should all be safe from radiation spikes."

 **Electron** : "I thought it was an aneutronic process..."

 **Starforce** : "The reaction stoichiometry is going to change as it shuts down. There'll be at least a couple of seconds where the burn is deuterium-rich, which will release a LOT of fast neutrons." (beat) "You don't want to try to stop those with your body, trust me."

 **Electron** (eyes widening): "Got it." (aiming her forcetool at the regulator again): "Here goes."

(her forcetool hums and glows. For a moment, the whine of pumps shutting down is the only clue that anything has happened. Then, alarms sound from the control console. Starforce's forcefield glows with the impact of excess radiation as the reactor's rumble stutters, falters, then begins to fade)

(The pinkish swirl of energies in the Asteroid Scoop generator stop moving, then fade)

 **Starforce** (looking at the Scoop generator): "Theta-boson radiation is at zero." (beat, to Electron) "You did it!"

 **Electron** : "YES!!"

 **Starforce** (to Ladyhawk): "Contact the _Sitharados_! They should be overhead in a minute or two and they need to know!"

(Electron hands Ladyhawk a radio off her toolbelt)

 **Ladyhawk** (into Electron's radio): "Varanyi Star Galleon _Sitharados_ , this is Ladyhawk-actual. Please acknowledge."

(tense pause)

 **T'Nereq** : ((there you are, child!))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((the asteroid scoop is OFF))

 **T'Nereq** : ((and just in time, too. We're over Detroit in 2 of your minutes))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((could you help us with the remaining asteroids, please?))

 **T'Nereq** : ((no need to plead, we have been talking with your spaceborne contingent. They will clear our firing arcs in 30 seconds))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((oh THANK you!)) (beat) ((so the Varanyi don't have a Prime Directive or something that would have interfered?))

 **T'Nereq** : ((only a species as imaginative as yours could come up with something so idiotic and suicidal))

* * *

****(1475 Springwells Court, 10: 30 AM)

(with a blur of motion, Ranger appears next to Ladyhawk)

 **Ranger** : "Status?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "The Asteroid Scoop is OFF. _Sitharados_ dealt with all the remaining asteroids."

 **Ranger** (pointing to the melee around Destroyer): "And him?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "He'll run out of power before we run out of superheroes. I hope." (beat) "Thanks for the reinforcements."

(in another titanic flare of light, a Destroyer-Beam blows Starforce clear of the melee, unhurt but angry. Swearing in three languages, he hovers in mid-air and waits for a clear shot)

 **Ranger** (eyeing Destroyer): "Let's see about that."

(Ranger runs to a point just outside the melee. Destroyer is now trading blows with both Spiritual Warrior and the Golden Avenger)

 **Ranger** : "COMING THROUGH!"

(Destroyer erects a forcewall around himself, but it's too little and too late. With a BOOM, Ranger enters the Speed Zone. By the time he drops back to normal speed, Doctor Destroyer has taken 210 STUN. His armor broken, he staggers before collapsing to the ground unconscious)

 **Ranger** (gasping for air): "We win."

(Golden Avenger drags the limp form of Doctor Destroyer upright. Spiritual Warrior helps to support them both)

 **Starforce** (flash-stepping in front of Destroyer): "Finally."

(he raises an arm. His forcebeams start warming up for discharge)

 **Ranger** : "Starforce? NO."

 **Starforce** : "He killed my parents. Let me avenge them."

 **Spiritual Warrior** : "Take that shot and you'll be no better than he is." 

(Ladyhawk has now caught up with him)

 **Golden Avenger** : "Let the justice system do its work, Starforce."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Bob, please listen. Don't start our life together with his blood on your hands."

 **Starforce** (coldly): "My way has the advantage of being quicker."

 **Ranger** : "*Our* way has the advantage of being LEGAL."

(tense pause. Starforce shuts down his forcebeams and lowers his arm. Ladyhawk pulls him away back to the rest of the surviving superheroes)

(with a groan, Doctor Destroyer comes to still firmly in the grasp of both Spiritual Warrior and the Golden Avenger)

 **Golden Avenger** : "Albert Zerstoiten, you have the right to remain silent..."

 **Dr. Destroyer** (interrupting, barely able to keep from laughing): "Not to the likes of you. If Destroyer must fall, he will fall to his own hand, not to his enemies!"

(anyone who has Danger Sense, it's going off like a three-alarm fire right now)

 **Meteor Man** (screaming as he throws a forcewall between the surviving heroes and Doctor Destroyer): "EVERYONE GET BACK!"

(the ceiling of the warehouse disintegrates as a meters-wide beam of pure energy smashes into the ground at the exact spot Doctor Destroyer is being held by the Golden Avenger and Spiritual Warrior. Debris not immediately flash-vaporized explodes everywhere, rapidly overwhelming Meteor Man's forcewall and burying the surviving heroes)

(long pause while the thunder and vibration of the energy beam's work slowly fades)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Didn't we just do this last month on the other side of the galaxy?"

 **Starforce** (smiles, bent over Ladyhawk to shelter her from the debris): "At least this time I have my suit on."

(Starforce clears a hole for them and they stand up. Around them, other heroes are doing the same. There is a continuous rumble of thunder filling the sky all around them, slowly fading when not punctuated by an occasional explosion)

 **Starforce** (looking to the northeast, face paling in shock): "Oh. My. GOD."

(A massive beam of energy, too bright to look at directly, stretches like a pillar from the ground to somewhere invisible at the sky's zenith, and has carved a trail of devastation arrow-straight from Destroyer's base through the Renaissance Center downtown. The remains of the tower that just took the beam's impact topple against the central tower, which now begins to collapse into a spreading cloud of smoke and debris as if in slow motion. As the sound of the Center's collapse finally reaches them 10 seconds later, the beam winks out of existence)

(a stunned silence falls over the surviving heroes as the echoes of both the beam and the Renaissance Center's collapse fade)

* * *

(733 S. Post Street, the ruins of Detroit. The next morning)

(Starforce and Ladyhawk are cuddled asleep under a blanket over in one corner. Two medals are pinned to their blanket)

 **Ranger** (nudging the blanket): "Guys?"

(Ladyhawk slowly opens her eyes)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Hey, Ted." (nudges Starforce, sleepily) "Nerd-boy. Wake up."

 **Starforce** (mumbling, half-asleep): "Leave me alone."

 **Ranger** : "Wake up, soldier."

(Bob opens his eyes)

 **Starforce** (focusing on Ranger): "What's the military term? You're out of uniform?"

 **Ladyhawk** (eyes now fully open and looking at Ranger): "Oh my God."

(Ted is not dressed as Ranger. He is in Army Fatigues. The single star of Brigadier General's rank rests on each shoulder)

 **Ranger** (to Ladyhawk): "I regret to inform the Chairman of the Board of ProStar that effective immediately I must resign as Chief Executive Officer."

 **Starforce** : "You're back on active duty?"

 **Ranger** : "By direct order of the President, also effective immediately." (beat) "The rank is going to have to wait for Senate confirmation, though..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Ted, what could possibly be more important than ProStar?"

 **Ranger** : "The President was less than satisfied with PRIMUS' response over the last several days. His first move was to fire director Rochester and appoint a successor to start cleaning house." (beat) "You're looking at him."

 **Starforce** : "Whoa."

 **Ranger** : "You also managed to sleep through the President's visit to the field hospital this morning."

 **Ladyhawk** : "No way!"

 **Ranger** (smiles): "Look at your blanket, love birds."

 **Starforce** (fingering medals): "What are these?"

 **Ranger** : "The Presidential Medal of Freedom. For both of you." (beat) "He also told me that he and the First Lady expect an invitation to your wedding."

 **Starforce** : "It's an election year. Where's he going to make the time?"

 **Ranger** : "That's not his problem."

* * *

(Temporary morgue, next to Biomaster's field hospital. A few hours later)

(Marcy 'Electron' Gibson sobs uncontrollably in front of a sheet-covered cot labeled 'Digitak' while Ladyhawk comforts her.)

(Biomaster and Starforce stand in front of a sheet-covered cot labeled 'Mr. Bassman')

 **Starforce** (numbly): "He was supposed to sing at the wedding."

 **Biomaster** (in tears): "There was shrapnel embedded close to the aorta. It penetrated on the operating table and he bled out before I could stop it..."

(Diamond and Ranger stand in front of an empty cot labeled 'Spiritual Warrior')

 **Diamond** : "He's in a far better place, General. Count on it."

* * *

(Ground Zero of the Zeta-Beam impact. A few hours later)

 **Ranger** : "What do you mean you can't find it?"

 **PRIMUS agent** : "We've searched the entire remains. Khereviel's not here."

 **Ranger** : "You found Destroyer's helmet! An angel in the form of a sword SHOULD have survived what happened here!"

* * *

(PRIMUS Field HQ, ruins of Detroit MI. The next day)

(Press conference)

 **Ranger** : "Next will be a statement from the superheroes Ladyhawk and Starforce, of the Dallas-Fort Worth team TASK FORCE."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Thank you. Our statement is brief. Starforce and I would like to announce our retirement from superheroing effective immediately. And to facilitate our retirement..."

(Ladyhawk and Starforce look at each other)

 **Ladyhawk/Starforce** : "3... 2... 1..."

(There is a collective gasp from the audience as they take their masks off. The flashbulbs are stroboscopic)

 **Ladyhawk** : "I am Julie Dormyer, Chairman of the Board of Directors for ProStar Industries of Dallas, TX."

 **Starforce** : "And I am Robert Hawkins, Senior Scientist for ProStar Industries." (beat, pointing at a reporter in the front row) "Yes?"

 **Reporter** : "Why?"

(beat, while Bob and Julie look at each other and hold each other's hand across the table)

 **Ladyhawk** (to the reporter): "Bob and I are getting married in October. In the 10 years we've been superheroes we've travelled across time and to the far side of our galaxy."

 **Starforce** (to the reporter): "We've saved the world more times than we care to remember right now, and the entire Milky Way Galaxy once on top of that."

 **Ladyhawk** : "We've seen wonders and terrors enough to fill multiple lifetimes, and shed far too many tears for friends and comrades who have fallen when we didn't."

(beat)

 **Starforce** : "It's past time that history passed *us* by."

* * *

**EPILOGUE** : 7/26/1992

(ProStar corporate jet en route Detroit-DFW. Bob and Matt are in the cabin)

 **Ladyhawk** (over intercom): "Now that we've reached our cruising altitude of 40,000 feet I've turned off the 'Fasten Seat Belts' sign and you're free to move around the cabin. Once again, we thank you for flying ProStar Air."

(Bob snorts humorously)

 **Biomaster** : "I never knew she could fly a jet."

 **Starforce** : "You never asked."

 **Biomaster** : "Is she any good?"

 **Starforce** : "I'm told her combat landing at Trinity Site in 1986 was nothing short of incredible."

 **Biomaster** : "You weren't there?"

 **Starforce** : "I was busy clearing the anti-aircraft defenses for her at the time."

 **Biomaster** (beat, awed): "Oh."

(beat)

 **Starforce** : "So how did it feel to be a member of TASK FORCE?"

 **Biomaster** : "I wish it had lasted longer."

 **Starforce** : "One day? I think that's a new track record."

(they chuckle)

 **Biomaster** : "Why did you guys have to quit? It would have been fun."

 **Starforce** : "It was time. It's a little difficult to explain."

 **Biomaster** : "Well then, let me brew up another batch of Alpha Strike when we get home and you can explain why while we split it."

 **Starforce** : "Deal."

(they shake hands. awkward pause)

 **Biomaster** (fiddling with his Presidential Medal of Freedom): "After everything I've done with my life, I don't feel I deserve this."

 **Starforce** : "The President and everyone whose lives you saved would disagree."

 **Biomaster** : "But there's no more TASK FORCE around to provide me parole any more."

 **Starforce** : "And that's an excuse for you to go back to be a villain?"

 **Biomaster** : "I still have student loans to pay off. How am I supposed to do that legally?"

 **Starforce** (facepalms): "Oh, for God's sake. Do I have to spell it out for you?"

 **Biomaster** : "Yes."

 **Starforce** (sighs): "OK. You saw what the Varanyi did to me and Julie?"

 **Biomaster** : "Duh. They asked for my help to save you two."

 **Starforce** : "Can you duplicate what they did?"

 **Biomaster** : "Double duh. Just because it was alien nanotech doesn't mean I couldn't understand it."

 **Starforce** : "Did the Varanyi force you into a non-disclosure agreement?"

(Biomaster's jaw drops open. Bob hands him a card from his wallet)

 **Starforce** : "My patent attorney. If you do NOT contact him in the next 24 hours I will *personally* kick your ass."

* * *

(Text of marriage announcement, August 1992)

_Hideki and Virginia Ishikawa_  
---  
_Request the Honor of Your Presence_  
_at the Marriage of_  
_Julia Lynne "Ladyhawk" Dormyer_  
_Daughter of_  
_the late Mr. Francis Layne Dormyer and Mrs. Keiko Ishikawa Dormyer_  
_to_  
_Robert Alan "Starforce" Hawkins_  
_Saturday, the 10th of October_  
_at one o'clock in the afternoon_  
_Dormyer Manor_  
_Lakewood Village, TX_  
_Reception to Follow_  
  
* * *

(fin)

**Author's Note:**

>  **TECHNICAL NOTE** : Differences in the Champions Universe and TASK FORCE versions of the Battle of Detroit
> 
> The biggest change between the canon timeline and my stories is in the delivery of asteroids to Detroit. The canon timeline postulated an asteroid attractor which literally pulled the Asteroid Belt down to the vicinity of Earth. Starforce makes the scientific argument against this plot device far more succinctly than I ever could in 'Heart of Darkness' while visiting Boardroom Games in Indianapolis, so I refer you to that story and scene for why both my physics degrees forbade me to even THINK about it. The theta-boson (and its properties with regards to generating and stabilizing wormholes) are an established part of the TASK FORCE universe by the time of this story, so an Asteroid Scoop in-universe is far more scientifically plausible than an Asteroid Attractor.
> 
> Changing the Plot Device now changes the superheroes' tactics during the second day of the Battle. In canon, the space-capable heroes came back to Earth after Vanguard's sacrifice, recognizing that the only possible way to save Detroit lay in forcing their way into Destroyer's base. In the TASK FORCE universe, this cannot happen as long as asteroids can appear within two minutes of impact at any time. This leaves the superheroes on the ground FAR more overwhelmed in the TASK FORCE version of the Battle.


End file.
